Convertible freight-car.



3. C. LINDSAY.

CONVERTIBLE FREIGHT GAR.

APPLICATION FILED. DBO. 10,1909.

Patented July 26,1910.

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' S. O. LINDSAY.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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CONVERTIBLE FREIGHT OAR.

APPLICATION rmzp nno. 10.1909.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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SOLOMON G. LINDSAY, OF GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONVERTIBLE FREIGHT-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 10, 1909.

Patented July 26, 1910. Serial No. 532,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SOLOMON G. LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greensburg, in the county of Westmoreland and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Convertible Freight-Car, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel and improved carstructure whereby the car body maybe converted from a freight car into astock car, and vice versa, the change from one form of car to the otherbeing readily effected.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a freight car whichmay be converted into a double deck stock car.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steel car of the kindstated which is strong, simple, and light, the frame being composed ofordinary channels and other structural steel shapes.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which drawings Figure 1 is an elevationof the car body arranged as a stock car. Fig. 2 is an elevation of thecar body arranged as a freight car. Fig. 3 is an end View of the freightcar. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the car body arranged as a double-deckstock car. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,showing the construction of the side of the car in detail. Fig. 6 is anenlarged section on the line 66 of Fig. 1 showing the'cornerconstruction. Fig. 7 is an en larged vertical section on' the line 77through one of the side walls of the car. Fig. 8 is an enlargedhorizontal section on the line 88 of Fig. 1, showing the doorconstruction. Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 99 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the side and end wallsof the car are made up of metal top and bottom panels 10 and 11,respectively, the bottom panels being stationary, and the top panelsbeing vertically slidable for a purpose to be presently described. Theframe of the side and end walls is composed of posts 12 which are,preferably, T-beams, and corner posts 13, which latter are angles. Theposts 12 are suitably spaced, and to the oppositely extending flanges 14thereof are riveted, or otherwise secured the panels 11, said panelsbeing secured to the inner faces of the flanges. The other flange 15 ofthe post extends toward the interior of the car, and has secured to itsinner end, on both sides, channel beams 16 which are spaced from theflanges 14 sufficiently so as to form guides for the sliding panels 10.The two flanges 17 of the channel beams extend outwardly from the flange15, and one of said flanges 17 extends flush with the inner end of theflange 15, to provide a support for the sheathing 18, the latter beingriveted, or otherwise secured to said flange 17. The sheathing extendsonly to the top of the stationary panels 11, in View of which the innerflanges 17 of the channel beams 16 may be cut off at this point, asshown in Fig. 7. The panels 10 are slidable downwardly behind the panels11, in which position, the space between the posts 12, at the upperportions thereof, is open, and across this space extend verticallyspaced bars 19 to form a grating. These bars are riveted or otherwisesecured to the outer faces of the flanges 14 of the post 12, and extend,with the exception of the space occupied by the doorways, throughout theentire length of the car, as well as across the ends thereof.

When in elevated position, the lower ends of the panels 10 rest on theupper edges of the panels 11, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, andfor the purpose of holding the upper panels in this position, the loweredges thereof are formed with downwardly projecting flanges 20 which lapthe outer faces of the panels 11 at the top thereof. Above the panels11, the channel beams 16 are inclined toward the outside of the car, sothat when the panels 10 are slid upwardly, they will be guided outwardlyso as to come into jposition on top of the lower panels 10. The

flanges 15 of'the posts 12 may be out on a slant as shown in Fig. 7, tocoincide with the outward slant of the channel beams 16, whereby asaving of material is effected. The two adjacent lower panels 11 at thecorners of the car are secured to the corner posts 13 within the anglesthereof, as shown in Fig. 6. A guide for the sliding panels 10 formed byan angle 21 arranged within the angle of the corner post, in spacedrelation therewith, and with the panels 11, spacing blocks 22 beingprovided for this purpose, to which the angles 21 are bolted orotherwise secured.

The construction of the car door is shown in detail in Fig. 8. A doublesliding door is provided. 'Each door section comprises top and bottomrails 23, and stiles 24:, the latter being composed of channel beamsarranged with their channels facing each other, so as to form guides fora sliding panel 25. The door has a stationary lower panel 26 which is inthe same horizontal plane as the lower stationary panels 11 of the carwalls,

the stationary door panels being secured to one of the flanges ofthechannel beams composing the stiles 2 1. The slidable panel the upperone, and may be lowered behind the stationary panel 26, when the car isconverted into a stock car. When the car is to be used as a. freightcar, the panel 25 will be elevated to the seat on the upper edge ofthepanel 26, thus closing the space at the upper portion of the door.This space is also provided with a grating 27 similar to the grating 19.The meeting stiles. of the door sections are tongued and grooved as.

shown in Fig, 8, so as to form a tight joint when closed, The door jambsare angles 28, to which one of the ends of the adjacent panels 11 isfastened. To one of the flanges of these angles are secured channelbeams29 for guiding the adjacent sliding panels 10, and for supporting thesheathing 18. To each door section are secured two arms. 30

extending in the direction of the opening movement ofthe sections. Eachof these arms work between upper and lower rollers.

31mounted in a casing 32 secured to the car wall, a IldWhIClI casing isopen at one end to permit the arms. to enter the same. The

rollers are grooved to receive the opposite edges of the arms, and thusprevent lateral play. On the car wall are mounted stops 33 for limitingthe opening movement ofthe door sections. The door sections are guidedatthe top and bottom by strips 34.

In use, if the car is to be employed for hauling live stock, the panels10 are lowered behind the panelsll, and the door; panels 25 are alsolowered. This arrangement is illustrated. in Fig. 1. If the car is to beused as a freight car, the panels 10 and 25 are elevated, whereby a caris had having closed side and end, wallsas shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4cshows an arrangement of panels by means of which a convertiblefreight car,

and a double-deck stock car is had. The lower panels are made stationaryand slidable in alternate order, andthe upper panels are arranged in thesame manner. Alternating lower stationary panel and upper slidingpanelsections, and lower sliding, and

upper stationary panel sections are thus had. Upon sliding the uppermovable panels downwardly, and the lower movablepanels upwardly, thecarwalls are entirely closed, and a freight car isthus had. If: this car.

is to be used for hauling live stock, theupper movable panels. will beslid downwardly behind the lower stationary panels, and the lowermovable panels will be slid upwardly behind the upper stationary panelsThis arrangement gives the car walls a sufiicient number of open spaces,to properly ventilate the interior of the car.

'A'grating, similar to the grating 19, is also provided for these openspaces. This grat-.

ing does not extendin a continuous line "across the car walls as in thefirst instance,

but is carried only across the respective spaces. It willbe understood,that this form of car will contain an upper floor or deck,

and with the exceptions herein noted, the construction is the sameas thefirst described car. Each form of car will also be provided with,suitable means for holdingand locking thesliding panels in elevatedposition.

Instead of making the upper panel sections slidable in the firstdescribed, form of car, they may be made stationary, and the lowerpanels made slidable.

The floor beams, the roof structure, and other parts of the car have notbeen described, as these parts may be constructed,

and. arranged in any suitable manner, and they form no part of thepresent invention.

WVhat is claimed is: 1. A car having its walls composed of flangedposts, angular corner posts, panels,

and guides. secured to the flanges of the-firstmentioned posts, thepanels. at the corners of the car being-secured to the corner posts,,

and. sliding panels mounted between the aforesaid panels and the-guides.

2. A car having its walls composed of flanged posts, angular posts,panels and guides secured to the flanges of the firstmentioned posts,the panels at the} corners of the car-beingsecuredzto the corner posts,a-ndsaid panels having height less than that, of the wall, whereby openspaces arehad, a grating secured to the flanged post, andextendingacross said open spaces, and, slid,-

ing panels mounted between the aforesaid;

panels andtheguides.

3. A carhavinga wall composed of spaced posts having oppositely,extending flanges at, their sides,, panelsbe'tween the posts secured tothe flanges thereof, and having a.

ofithe other series, andclosures for; the openings, the closures of oneseries of openings being carried by the closed portions of the otherseries.

5. A car having its walls formed with an upper and lower series ofspaced panels, the panels of one series being opposite the spacesbetween the panels of the other series, and closures carried by thepanels adjustable to the openings opposite the same.

6. A car having its walls formed with an upper and lower series ofspaced panels, the panels of one series being opposite the spacesbetween the panels of the other series, and sliding panels carried bythe aforesaid panels, and adjustable to close the spaces 15 SOLOMON O.LINDSAY.

Witnesses:

HARRY B. F001, WILLIAM M. CHURCHILL.

